1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to network switching and more particularly to a telecommunications system having separate switch intelligence and switch fabric.
2. Related Art
A conventional telecommunications network comprises three basic components: user terminals (e.g., telephones), communications busses (e.g., telephone lines) and switches. The switches are used to selectively connect the user terminals via the communications busses. Each switch comprises two basic components: the switch fabric, which physically interconnects the communications busses, and the switch intelligence, which directs the operation of the switch fabric based on control signals (e.g., telephone numbers) received by the switch.
In recent years, however, the telecommunications features offered by service providers (including both local and long distance service providers) have increased dramatically in both number and complexity. Because many of these features are implemented primarily at the switch, the complexity of the switch intelligence has increased in kind to include complex call processing logic. Despite the dual nature of the switch, standard telecommunications architectures such as Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) and SS7 have continued to incorporate both switch intelligence and switch fabric into a single device. The retention of this monolithic switching approach in the face of these changes has substantial disadvantages.
The primary disadvantages result from the fact that switches from different manufacturers may employ unique methods of control and/or unique computing languages in their switches. Thus when a service provider offers a new feature requiring a change in switch intelligence, the change must be implemented by the switch vendor. In a network comprising switches from several manufacturers, these changes must be coordinated to ensure a coincident release of the new feature at all switches. Further, each switch vendor must implement a switch change required by one service provider without disturbing the switch intelligence aspects required by other service providers. Finally, changes cannot be implemented centrally, but must be implemented separately at each switch. This arrangement requires substantial lead time for a change, typically on the order of two years or more.
What is needed, therefore, is a telecommunications network where the switch intelligence is separated from the switch fabric.